* THANKS TO ALL: Looks like I'll be out $300 or so for the Arkansas Blog pledge on KUAR this morning. The morning pledge session brought in more than $15,000. My apologies to Stephens Media columnistSteve Brawner, who I slandered by attaching a "perhaps Republican label" in thanking him for a contribution. (I offered a bigger incentive to Republican donors.) He's an independent.

* A DEMOCRAT FOR STATE HOUSE: John T. Adams, who made an unsuccessful race for Congress as a Democrat in 2010, tells me he'll be running for House District 32 in western Little Rock, a seat now held by term-limited Republican Allen Kerr. He's a lawyer and senior vice president and general counsel at First Federal Bank who's been active in good government causes, including stronger ethics laws. He'd be a strong candidate on resume alone, but I must reveal a personal sympathy. He was the assigned "big sibling" to my daughter in her freshman year at the college both attended.

* JUDGE PITTMAN RETIRING: Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge John Mauzy Pittman announced today he will not seek re-election in 2014. He's been on the court 22 years, the longest tenure of any Court of Appeals judge.

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MIKE HUCKABEE: Could he win a GOP primary talking like this?

* MEET THE BIPARTISAN MIKE HUCKABEE: Florida resident Mike Huckabee may no longer pay any taxes in the state that elected him governor, but he's happy to drop by and offer some commentary. This morning, he spoke to the Political Animals Club. The headlines probably will include his continuation of saying he hasn't ruled in or out a race for president in 2016. But this is the real headline, as Tweeted by Roby Brock:

Huckabee tells Pol. Animals Club supermajority of Dems he worked w/ in #arleg put state before party. Suggests DC could learn lesson.

Oh, yes. he blasted Obamacare. But he said mainstream Republicans (are there any?) need to push back against Freedom Works and the Club for Growth (Greed), the billionaires who are puppeteers of the Tea Party movement. He decried the division in the party by the faction hoping to root out those who stray. He said it could cause the party to lose control. He also reiterated his support for college scholarships for illegals and defended the Common Core curriculum.

Huck's departure from rigid GOP orthodoxy was certainly refreshing in the current climate. And a good platform to strive for consensus support in a presidential run.

Except .... can a candidate talking bipartisanship win a Republican primary? Wouldn't he be dimissed with a sneer as a RINO?

An Arkansas anti-abortion law is a phony. It's about ending abortion, not protecting women and a New York Times writer says it could present an important case for the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Arkansas Supreme Court continues to grapple, with divisions, on how to square new federal and state law on resentencing people who got life without parole sentences for capital crimes committed when they were minors.

The State Police say Brett McCullough, 52, of Hot Springs, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while riding a bicycle about 8:47 p.m. Wednesday on Highway 70 West (Airport Road) in Hot Springs.

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Donald Trump gave a remarkable interview to the New York Times yesterday in which he declared open season on the marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton's past infidelity. Seems like a loser, but I've been wrong before.

People hospitalized for a respiratory-related illness at UAMS were twice as likely to rent a property that at some point has been issued a mold-related violation notice from Little Rock's Code Enforcement Division when compared to a control population adjusted for demographic differences.

UAMS, pressed by financial problems for several years, told the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees today that it had a $1.5 billion operating budget that doesn't call for deficit spending.

Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge Bart Virden of Morrilton, who narrowly survived attack ads by an outside partisan group supporting his opponent for re-election to a nonpartisan seat, doesn't intend to let the matter drop.

Do what Donald Trump says or leave the country. Is that the embodiment of the 1st Amendment or what?

The Arkansas Supreme Court got Attorney General Leslie Rutledge's attention at last today with its order that she comply with the law and either certify proposed ballot initiatives or propose language more acceptable to her.

Enjoy these photos from today's dedication and re-installation of a new Ten Commandments monument. The first iteration of the monument was installed last June but destroyed within the next 24 hours when it was rammed by a man in a Dodge Dart.